Daughter tried to load a new game (Sims 3), but computer didn't like it. She tried a few things, not sure what, as I wasn't there, and she can't remember. Now having some slight problems, can't run games that were previously Ok, think she's done something to the Video settings.
Thought simplest solution would be a SmartRestore, but when I try that it says Disable Norton Anti Virus Auto Protect.
But I don't use Norton any more, and have deleted anything to do with Norton. Even ran a Norton Uninstall prog to make sure everything was removed, but makes no difference - same message keeps appearing.
Ideas anyone, please - don't want to take it back to factory settings, too much to reinstall.

Do you mean a system restore? Try doing a system restore in safe mode. Restart the computer & just before it starts to boot into windows start hitting F8 until you get a list of boot options. Select Safe Mode. It would really help if you could give a general idea of what she did as that could be important. Also why did you say that it didn't like the game? What happened when she tried to play or it or did it even install? Also we need more information on the computer; make/model and system specs. If you don't know please run our hardware scan and post back the link.

As a first measure, I would clean up the machine of any "dead" entries/programs etc.

A good (free) "cleaner" for removing junk from your system is CCleaner. It also performs a "clean-up" pass on the registry.

CCleaner - Download
(Click on Download from FileHippo......, in the PayPal box)

Alternate Download;
|MG| CCleaner Slim 2.22.968 Download

During the installation, remove the check mark to install the Yahoo Toolbar if bundled with the version you download. (Just junk IMHO.)

Once you download and install it, open the program then click on (left hand side) OPTIONS, then COOKIES
. Any cookies you want to save (trusted sites, places you have usernames/passwords), highlight them in the left column, then (using the directional
arrows between the panes), move them to the right hand column under "Cookies to keep".

Still under Options, click on Advanced. Remove the check mark from the box for "Only delete files in Windows Temp
folders older than 48 hours".

Leave all other settings at the default.

Then click on Cleaner (on the top left). When that window opens, click on Run Cleaner (bottom right of the
window.)

When it finishes, close CCleaner, and restart your machine. (Some files will not be deleted until a restart is performed.)

I do not advocate running CCleaner on each boot. I run it once or twice a week.



Next,,,,,,

RegSeeker
Open it, click on Clean The Registry, then OK.

Once it's finished, along the bottom of the screen, click on Select, choose "Select All". Then click on Action, then "Delete selected items".

All deleted items will be backed up, just click OK for the default backup filenames/locations.

Close the program and restart the machine.

Tried System Restore on several different dates on calendar, but when it restarts it says no changes have been made.~Daughter can't remember what she did.
Looked on System Restore calendar on date she used it, here's a list of what she did:
Installed The Sims 3
Installed DirectX
Installed Driver Detective
Removed Driver Detective
Installed Unblue DriverScanner v1.0
Installed SSAGP Driver
Removed The Sims 3
Software Distribution Service 3.0
Tried System Restore on dates previous to this, but still no change.

Not a major problem with PC now, but screen flickers when it starts up, can't play some other games which were previously OK, and for some reason Stand By option is not available any more.